Chapter 7
N avarro
Women could definitely rule the world.
They were confident, conniving, and ingenious when required.
Fallon was no exception.
As soon as I opened the door, I shoved my hands into my pockets.
Fallon had managed to unlock the set of French doors leading to the balcony and was currently navigating scaling the trellis to the first floor.
I don’t know why seeing a woman placing herself in a precarious position created such an urge to rip off her clothes, but that’s exactly the way I was feeling.
I walked in quietly, unable to keep from grinning. The woman needed to be tamed and I was just the man to do it. She’d kicked off her heels and was sitting precariously on the iron railing. With the death grip she had on the cold metal, I sensed severe anxiety.
My thoughts running wild, I tossed my jacket across the back of the couch as soon as I walked further into the garish den, cringing as soon as I did. I even took the time to roll up my sleeves, sensing she wasn’t going anywhere quickly.
Why I’d agreed to staying in the lavish mausoleum was beyond me, but the estate was a testament to the man’s testicles. Half the shit appeared gilded in gold, although I doubted Eduardo could afford doing so.
The asshole was a prick through and through.
Her hesitation meant she was afraid of heights and we were only on the second floor. Taking my time, I headed toward the doors, leaning against the doorjamb. “Be careful. The vines have thorns. Given the type of plant, you could have an extreme allergic reaction.”
Her body stiffened then swayed.
With a slight turn, she slipped forward.
I lunged toward her, grabbing her around the waist a split second before she tumbled off.
Her gasp was full of terror and she clung to me. Even her eyes were open wide. “Shit.” She was halfway off, her legs dangling. Being the man I was, I allowed her to hang in midair for a few seconds.
“Well, well, my sweet falcon, it would appear you don’t have wings.”
“What are you doing?” she demanded, her breathing labored.
“Allowing you take a good look around you, Fallon. You’re in a secure compound.”
She clawed at my arms, the venomous glow of her eyes highlighted by the moonlight. Her throat bobbed as she quickly darted a glance around her, moaning the moment she looked down at the ground.
“You should learn obedience has its purposes.”
“To hell with you,” she muttered.
Laughing, I pulled her up and over the railing. She was shaking all over. When I eased her into my arms, she struggled to push her hands against me.
I cupped her face, rubbing my fingers across her soft skin. I had the sudden urge to kiss her even more passionately than before. Struggling in my hold, she jerked away and instantly had another attack of vertigo.
“Easy. I’ve got you.” Before she could object, I swept her into my arms and carried her inside. Only when we were several yards away from the open doorway did she finally realize how close we were. The heat was the same as we’d experienced, only this time, she couldn’t get the upper hand.
“Put me down,” she insisted. “I don’t need your help.”
“Are you certain you’re alright? Attempted escapes can take a significant toll on someone.”
“I said. Put. Me. Down.”
With a chuckle tickling my mouth, I did as she asked and returned to the open door, closing and latching it. “I’m curious. Why didn’t you trip the alarm?”
She laughed, but her nervousness continued. “Masking a photocell is easy. Nothing a little tape and a piece of paper couldn’t take care of. You should be careful where you leave sensitive items lying around.”
Sensitive items? My God, the woman had skills that even my men didn’t possess. I was taken aback, and she knew it, smiling slyly from seeing the expression on my face. Her training had shown itself in other areas as well. I was beginning to reconsider the possibility she was working for Fassi.
“Don’t worry. Eventually your system would have figured out something was off, but I’d planned on being miles away by then.”
“And just how did you propose to do that?” I asked.
“I have my ways.”
Another laugh was easy. She believed she could best me against all odds.
“Just so you’re aware, even if you’d shimmied down the trellis and made it safely, you would have encountered one or more guards since there are ten surrounding the property.
They are all heavily armed and trained to kill.
They don’t appreciate intruders or anyone attempting to escape. ”
She offered a quick glance, doing her best to keep her composure.
Quite the consummate actress. “Soldiers have routines they follow. I would have paid close attention, avoiding any activity with them. You might want to consider altering their routines every other night or so. If a girl like me could figure it out within minutes, imagine what a trained assassin could do.”
My balls were tightening once again. “Perhaps you are right. I’ll take your recommendations and make changes. What about the wall surrounding the property? Eight feet is tough to scale.”
Her smile remained. “In case you haven’t noticed, there are crevices in the stones. The wall isn’t completely smooth. The small depressions could easily be used by a woman to climb the wall.”
“Why just a woman?”
“We have smaller feet.” She allowed a laugh as I was drawn to hers, savoring the bright red polish. “Most women do anyway.”
“You’re very observant. If you’re not a professional assassin, then what are you?”
“A girl who reads a lot. It’s amazing what you can learn on the internet and on YouTube.”
Her comments were quippy, highly sarcastic, but I enjoyed the banter even if the timing wasn’t ideal. She was also lying. Someone had taken the time to teach her. “Maybe I should spend more time away from my job.”
“A job of kidnapping people?” she asked with her eyes twinkling as if this was all one big game to her.
“Of running several billion-dollar companies including one within the New York Diamond Exchange.”
Her eyes flashed with something else altogether.
Something she hadn’t learned about the organization.
Our advance into the market hadn’t been kept secret, which meant she’d done a brief search.
Her vendetta wasn’t based on years of awaiting the perfect opportunity. She’d been pushed into her actions.
“I see,” she muttered as she glanced around the room as if seeing it for the first time. “Now, I understand. I guess you need daily reassurance you’re a big man who makes big money.” Her words were biting, the sarcastic lilt to her tone annoying.
She’d kept her head held high while being escorted from the SUV, yet I’d observed she’d paid close attention to her surroundings, identifying the locations of the security cameras. There’d been no doubt she’d attempt an escape. A part of me had been eager to see her try.
While formidable, Fallon didn’t seem to understand the level of danger she’d placed herself in.
Even before talking with Jago, I’d recognized the bastards who’d attacked her.
Their gang-related tattoos had given them away.
That’s one reason I’d driven bullets into their brains instead of allowing them to live to tell the tale.
The Alcarez Cartel was truly scum in my mind, dangerous pricks who had no humanity.
The question of why they’d spent time hunting a single woman was something I couldn’t ignore.
“Gold. Who knew that was your color?” she added. “I was thinking red to remind you of all the bloodletting you’ve done.”
It was obvious she was trying to bait me into another confrontation or steer me away from something else. I neither had the time nor the inclination to fall into a trap. Little did she know I was the master of creating them.
“Why not black for my cold, dead heart?”
“Ah, yes,” she sighed. “You’re right. I’m curious. Do you have mirrors in every room so you can preen in front of them on a whim?”
She was currently staring at the oversized gilded mirror over the fireplace.
“I’m a guest here in this mansion of strange statues just like you are, Fallon. We can continue our bantering all night or we can call a truce. Would you care for a drink?”
“A truce? An interesting proposition.” Her laugh shifted into bitterness. “Why not enjoy a drink with my enemy. Evidently, I’m not being allowed out of your sight.”
“I’m eager to hear all the gory details about why I’m public enemy number one.”
“I already told you. My sister.”
There was definitely more to the story, but I’d take the interrogation slowly.
I prepared the same drink she’d enjoyed at the club, even locating a jar of olives in the mini-fridge.
Neither one of us said a word as I prepared the beverages, but her keen eyes were constantly flickering as she walked around the room.
Even the way she picked up a few items, knickknacks and statues, was nothing more than her attempt to find a way out of the estate.
I turned around with the drinks in my hand and was rewarded with a stunning view in the light.
She was even more spectacular than I’d originally believed.
Long curls swept softly across her shoulders, so several black strands appeared highlighted in cobalt.
Her emerald eyes were warm, a direct contrast to the enraged expression she wore.
Seeing one long leg peeking out from the slit in her crimson dress, my mind wandered to several filthy images of deep and rather sadistic cravings.
She avoided our fingers colliding when accepting the glass, purposely backing away from me as soon as it was in her hand. “You really don’t live here?”
“As I told you, I’m from Barcelona. This,” I swept my hand around the room, “belongs to the leader of the Gonzolez Cartel, the cousin of the man I work for.”
“Why don’t I believe you? Owning second homes in distant countries is all the rage.” She hid behind her glass, keeping her distance.